1949→1951 Allard J2

1949→1951 Allard J2

Sydney Allard was a experienced English racing driver who raced cars at LeMans and the Mille Miglia bearing his own name. Of all the cars he built, the J2 of 1950 received the most attention and reflected his racing background.

J2 was a limited production racing car, and since Allard didn’t manufacture their own engines, many were fitted with American V-8s. The standard unit was the Mercury V8, which was bored and stroked to produce 140 bhp. However, many cars came to US with out engines to take any combination of engine and transmission. When combined with the 331 cu. in. Cadillac or Chrysler 331 Hemi Firepower the J2 was a particularly potent contender.

These powerful American engines combined with a rigid chassis and a small, cycle wing body to give an exceptional power to weight ratio. Contributing to good handling was a chassis constructed using small diameter tubes, a de-Dion rear axle to help keep the rear wheels connected to the road and the large aluminum Alfin drum brakes.

The J2s best moment came at LeMans, when a 5.4 liter, Cadillac-engined car placed third at the 1950 Lemans behind the winning Talbots

According to the Allard Register, around 90 J2s were made, and a later J2X version featured an all-enveloping body for LeMans.

Story by Richard Owen for Supercars.net

In Detail

submitted by

Richard Owen

type

Racing Car

production years

1949 – 1951

production

90

price Â£/td>

Â£1000

engine

Mercury 90 Degree V8

valvetrain

Twin Solex Carburettors

displacement

3917 cc / 239.0 in³

bore

81 mm / 3.19 in

stroke

95.2 mm / 3.75 in

power

104.4 kw / 140 bhp @ 4000 rpm

specific output

35.74 bhp per litre

body / frame

Ladder Frame

wheel type

16 Inch

front brakes

Drums

rear brakes

Drums

steering

Marles

f suspension

Split Axles w/Radius Arms, Coil Springs, Dampers

r suspension

De Dion Axle w/Radius Arms, Coil Springs, Dampers

dry weight

772 kg / 1700 lbs

wheelbase

2540 mm / 100 in

front track

1422 mm / 56 in

rear track

1321 mm / 52 in

length

3759 mm / 148 in

Auction Sales History

1951 Allard J2 99J2121 – sold for $330,000 Named as the “Ultimate Allard” by Simon Taylor. Shelby Cobra 289-Specification Engine. Featured in Numerous Automotive Magazines. Award-Winning 2011 Restoration An Exceptionally Well-Documented Example. One of the Finest of the 43 Surviving J2 Allards. Single Ownership for 39 Years.Auction Source: The 2013 Amelia Island Auction by Gooding & Company

According to the factory production records contained in Tom Lush’s book Allard: The Inside Story, this car, chassis number J2089, was despatched on 31 July, 1951 to Cuba. As an illustration of the worldwide reputation of the Allard marque, surrounding chassis numbers in the list went as far afield as Australia, Singapore, Malaya, Japan, Finland and the USA.

1951 Allard J2 1912 – sold for $308,000 Fully Sorted And Ready For Touring, Races And Shows. Very Original Example Complete With Many Of Its Rare Original Options. A Fully Documented Allard Works Team Car.Auction Source: 2008 Monterey Preview

During the mid 1980s, Glen Shaffer began a search for an Allard J2 with racing heritage and found the example offered here in Lima, Peru. When discovered, it was complete and had the correct 1951 Cadillac OHV V8 engine, but the chassis was in need of a full restoration. The car included features not commonly round in other J2s, such as a 55-gallon fuel cell, an aluminum-reinforced body, and vented front fenders. With growing excitement, Shaffer suspected that he had found the “missing” 1951 J2 Le Mans race car. Once back in the United States, Allard experts using original documentation confirmed that it was indeed the J2 Le Mans car driven by Hitchins and Reece in the 1951 race.

Supercars

Supercars.net is built for the automotive enthusiast and sports car fan in mind. Covering the auto industry with the latest news, new car reviews, videos, high-quality photography and all other amazing things car-related. Supercars.net is your source for all things automotive.